What is my resolution this year? Well, I certainly want to post more often. That was my resolution last year and I definitely succeeded! I'd like to try to top myself this year and try to post even more often. I also want to try to vary my recipes a little more. I did make a lot of cookies this year, by the way. I think it's time to move on. I mean, I'll still make cookies, but just not as many. ^_^'

I usually have a New Year's promise every year to be more healthy. I think I've over done this in the past, however. I tried to be "healthy" by eating more raw foods a couple years ago. I tried to be about 75% raw every day and mostly succeeded. However, my body was not happy. The way I ate was doing a number on my digestive system. I just couldn't handle the amount of raw foods I was eating. I was also eating far too much sugar. Now that I know what types of foods agree with my body and how much of them to eat, being healthy is a breeze! I haven't felt better in a very long time. I eat what I want for the most part, not too much though, and I drink plenty of water and tea. I use vitamin supplements to keep my health as optimal at possible. I also try to cook simple dishes at home using seasonal ingredients. I try to keep my sugar intake down as much as possible. That's all I do! I always shake my head when I think about all the time I wasted "dieting" and "cleansing". I felt worse when I wanted to feel better. I think that I've found a way to make things that I want while also making them more healthful and balanced . If you don't consume too much of anything, you won't try to compensate by adding or eliminating anything else! Makes sense, right?

What I wanted yesterday and today very badly was something that is usually heavy and guilt-provoking for a lot of people: PANCAKES! Once I developed my own recipe for pancakes, I never felt badly after I ate them again. My mom always hated pancakes because she said she felt like they sat in her stomach like a ball of lead for hours. I can definitely understand why she would feel like that having eaten my fair share of diner "Bisquick" style pancakes. They are extremely heavy. These pancakes that I've made for you look very decadent. While they are creamy and flavorful, they are anything but heavy and guilt-provoking. They're very healthy, actually! The batter is gluten-free and refined sugar free for those with sensitive stomachs. The flours I've used here yield a very light and thin batter that bakes up fluffy and delicate. There is hardly any fat or sugar in the batter itself.

The most flavorful part of these pancakes is the chocolate hazelnut butter drizzle for the top. This is where the bulk of fat and sugar comes from, so use this as much or as little as you'd like to control the sweetness. I used Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter, which is an all-natural alternative to the very popular yet junky Nutella. Nutella is definitely just frosting that is posing as hazelnut butter. What a strange thing, right? ​ Well, fear not! If you have a craving for something delicious, creamy and full of chocolate flavor, whip up these pancakes for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert! They're small, so sharing is optional. ;)

Chocolate Hazelnut Pancakes

Yield: approx 6-2" round pancakesFree of: Gluten, Refined Sugar*

Ingredients

1/4 c gluten-free AP flour

1/4 c brown rice flour

2 Tb tapioca flour

1 Tb cocoa powder

1 Tb coconut sugar, opt.

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp Ener-G egg replacement powder

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

3 Tb aquafaba (OR 3 Tb water + 1 Tb flax meal)

1/2 cup non-dairy milk/water

1/2 Tb melted coconut oil/vegan mayo

Hazelnut Butter Drizzle:

2 Tb vegan chocolate hazelnut butter

1 tsp coconut oil

pinch of stevia, opt.

Instructions

​Add all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon.

Measure all the wet ingredients for the pancakes into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir to combine until there are little to no lumps left.

In a small bowl, microwave the hazelnut butter drizzle ingredients until the coconut oil melts. Stir with a spoon to smooth out the mixture until it is pourable. Set aside.

On a medium-low flame, heat a small skillet. (If using non-stick, do not add oil.)

Pour about 2 Tb worth of batter into the skillet.

Let the pancake cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Flip once the top is full of bubbles and the bottom releases easily from the hot pan.

Stack your cooked pancakes on 1 or 2 plates. Drizzle with the hazzelnut butter mixture and any other toppings you choose. Enjoy! <3

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I'm Jess!

This is my very first food blog! I post revised conventional recipes of foods that I hold near and dear to my heart. My cooking here is all gluten-free and cruelty-free, but full of flavor and comfort.